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KENNESAW, GA — NJIT (18-5, 6-3 ASUN) takes on Kennesaw State (4-20, 1-8 ASUN) in its tenth ASUN game on Saturday, February 9. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. ET at the KSU Convocation Center. (TV: ESPN+)
NEXT HOME GAME: North Florida vs. NJIT | Saturday, Feb. 16
NJIT saw its five-game winning streak snapped at Liberty on Saturday, 77-57. The team's longest winning streak since 2016 featured wins over Jacksonville, North Florida, Stetson, North Alabama and FGCU.
Overall, the Highlanders have won 11 of their last 15 games.
WATCH: NJIT All-Access: | The Five-Game Winning Streak
Senior
Abdul Lewis led the team in scoring at Liberty with 14 points and nine rebounds, followed by
Diandre Wilson and
Donovan Greer who both finished with 13 points each.
Lewis earned ASUN Co-Player of the Week honors last week and has totaled three double-doubles in his last six games.
The forward finished the week with a combined 53 points, 38 rebounds, 11 assists and three blocks over the course of three games last week. He has averaged 17.7 PPG and 12.7 RPG during the span.
All-Time Series: NJIT Leads, 5-2
NJIT faces Kennesaw State for the second time this season on Saturday.
Last time out against the Owls on January 5, NJIT won at the Wellness and Events Center, 72-52.
Zach Cooks led the team in scoring with 19 points followed by
Abdul Lewis and
Diandre Wilson who added 15 points each.
All-time, NJIT, which joined the ASUN Conference in 2015-16, is 24-27 against ASUN Conference opponents.
NJIT, which finished non-conference play with its best record since moving up to Division I in 2006, is 9-4 on the road this season, the second highest road wins total in the country.
Since Jan. 8, 2011, NJIT has posted an impressive 141-120 (.540) overall record in its last 261 games after the Highlanders started their D-I era at 18-114 (.136).
The Highlanders have a current NCAA Net Ranking of 160 (as of January 31) and have appeared in "Others Receiving Votes" in the Associated Press Top-25 three weeks this season (Dec. 10-24) -- the first times in program history that NJIT has been recognized in the poll.
ASUN Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll
After winning last year's ASUN Conference men's basketball championship title, Lipscomb was picked to repeat by the league's head coaches in the 2018-19. The Bisons garnered seven of nine first-place votes among the head coaches in the league, while also being selected first in the media poll.
Coincidentally, both polls featured identical rankings.
NJIT was selected sixth in the nine-member conference in both the ASUN Preseason Coaches and Media Polls as Kennesaw State was picked seventh behind the Highlanders with 26 points.
Lewis, an ASUN Conference second-team honoree last season was named to the 2018 ASUN Preseason All-Conference Team.
Kennesaw State Owls
Kennesaw State enters Saturday's game with a 1-8 record in the ASUN Conference.
The Owls currently stand in eighth place of the ASUN ahead of last place Stetson (1-9 ASUN). KSU's lone conference win came on January 30 against North Florida.
Kennesaw State has won just one in their last 10 games, but has collected all four of their wins at home.
Junior Tyler Hooker ranks second in ASUN scoring and leads KSU with 19.0 PPG. The guard also ranks 10
th in the ASUN with 2.7 APG.
As a team, Kennesaw State ranks sixth in ASUN defensive scoring with 76.1 PPG and ranks last in scoring offense with 62.6 PPG.
Next Up
NJIT will have a brief three-day break before heading to Fort Myers, Florida, to take on Florida Gulf Coast on Wednesday, February 13, at 7 p.m. ET. (TV: ESPN+).
The Highlanders next return home on Saturday, February 16, to host North Florida at 4 p.m. ET.
Tickets are available for purchase on
www.NJITtix.com.
